Repeater for talking machines



Feb 26, 1924., 1,485,019

J. J. DEWEY REPEATER FOR TALKING MACHINES Filed Dec. 21 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inverfior.

John J. Dewey bywkw' Anya Feb. 26 1924; 1,485,019

J. J. DEWEY REPEATER FOR TALKING MACHINES Filed Dec. 21. 1921 b Fig 3.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor.

John J. Dewey byMMa W Patented Feb. 26, 1924,

JOHN J'. DEWEY, OF QUECHEE, VERMONT..

REPEATER FOR TALKING MACHINES.

Application filed December 21, 1921. Serial No. 523,880.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN J. DEWEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Quechee, county of Windsor, State of Vermont, have invented an Improvement in Re peaters for Talking Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a, specifica: tion, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to talking machines and particularly to a repeater therefor which operates to lift the reproducer head from the record when the latter has been played and then return the reproducer head to the beginning of the record so that the machine will automatically play the record repeatedly;

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved repeater mechanism which is operated by the revolving table that supports the disc record.

Another object of the invention is to provide a repeater mechanism designed for use in connection with the talking machine of the type known to the trade as the Edison Diamond Disc machine, and in which, when each record is finished, the reproducer head is automatically restored to position to begin playing the record again by mechanism operated by the periphery of the revolving table.

Another object of the invention is to provide a repeater mechanism which is made in the form of a complete unit that is adapted to be attached to any Edison diamond disc talking machine without making any change in any of the parts of the talking machine. My repeater mechanism, therefore, is in the form of an attachment which can be easily attached to any talking machine of the above-mentioned type. This is a great advantage because it provides a repeater mechanism which may be purchased by any person owning a talking machine of the type above referred to, and which may be stalled in the machine by anyone.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally repeater mechanisms for talking machines :all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In order to givean understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described afterwhichthe novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a talking machine having my repeater mechanism applied thereto with the upper part of the machine shown in section and the front panel removed.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2+2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a talking machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary detail view of the cam member which raises the tone arm and reproducer head from the record and returns them to initial position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the repeater mechanism normally inactive and in the position it assumes while the record is being played.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66, Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the head 14 and the cam 15.

The talking machine herein illustrated is of that type known as the Edison diamond disc talking machine, in which the reproducer head is carried by the horn and the latter is pivotally mounted to swing about a vertical aXis and is positively driven to carry t-l1Q'S!; lLIS across the record. In the drawings 1 indicates the cabinet orcasing of the talking machine and 2 is the revolving table on which the disc records are supported, the latter being driven from the motor, indicated at 3, by means of any suitable or usual driving mechanism. The motor 3 is shown as secured to the plate or support 12. f

The reproducing head is shown at 4 and itcarries the usual stylus15. This reproduc-. ing head is sustained on the end 6 of the 4 horn 7 the, latter being received within a compartment 8 beneath the turn table as usual in talking machines. This compartment has the open front 9 whichmay be closed by a removable panel indicated in dotted lines at 10, Fig. 2. The horn is pivotally mounted to swing about a vertical shaft 11 situated in front thereof and during the operation of the machine the horn with the reproducer head is given a positive feeding movement about the shaft 11 as a center thereby to carry the stylus and reproduc ing head l across the record as the latter is rotated.

The parts thus far described areor may be all as usual in phonographs of the Edison diamond disc type and as the construction and operation of such talking machines are well known to those skilled in the art I do not deem it necessary to give a further description thereof.

My improved repeater mechanism is arranged to be operated from the periphery of i the lBVOlVlDg table 2. Doing the playing of the record the repeater mechanism is normally inoperative but at the end of tee record it is automatically thrown into engagement with the periphery of the revolving table 2 so that the revolving table will furnish the power to lift the horn and reproducer head sufficiently to clear the stylus from the record and then to swing the reproducer head baclr to the initial position.

The shaft 11 to which the horn is secured and about which it turns is vertically movable as usual in talking machines of this type so as to permit the horn and reproducer to be lifted to clear the stylus from the rec ord.

In order to accomplish this automatically at the end of any record I secure rigidly to said shaft an arm 13 having a head 14 and I also employ a cam 15 rotatable about a horizontal axis and adapted at the proper times to engage the under face of the head let thereby raising the shaft 11 and clearing the stylus from the record, and then by frictional engagement with the under side of the head 14 turning the shaft to swing the horn and reproducer head back to their initial position, after which the ram lowers the head 14; thus bringing the stylus back into engagement with the record. This cam 15 is rotatably mounted on a frame 16 which is separate from the. other mechanism of the talking machine and which is situated between the open end of the horn 7 and the shaft 11 and is sustained in place by means of a suitable bracket 17 secured to the side of the cabinet. This frame also has journallcd therein a vertical shaft 18 which extends through a plate 12 and is provi led at its upper end with a driving wheel 19 that is adapted to engage the periphery of the revolving table 9. The shaft l8 is connect ed by suitable gearing to the cam 15 so t iat when the friction wheel 19 is in engagement with the periphery of the revolying table, as shown in Fig. 3, said wheel will be driven from said table and will in turn operate the cam of the repeater mechanism. The QBLUF ing which connects the shaft 18 to the cam 15 is a reducing gearing and comprises a train of gearing 31, 32, 33, 3 a shaft 35 on which the gear 84 is fast and'a W'Qlfl'n; 35 on said shaft which meshes with a worm gear 3? rigid with the cam 15.

Means are provided whereby the frame 16 is normally so positioned that the friction wheel 19 will he disengaged from the revolving table as shown in Fig. 5, so that during the playing of the record the repeater mechanism will be inoperative. lVhen the record is ended. however, the frame 16 is shifted from the full to the dotted. line position, F 5, thus bringing the friction wheel into ngagement with the revolving tabie and c ting the repeater mechanism in. operalieferrine now to the constructional details l have herein illustrated for carrying out these operations, the bracket 17 has a stud 2O rigid therewith on which the frame 16 is mounted to turn. A spring 21 is coiled around the shaft one end of the spring being' attached to the frame as shown at 22 and the other end. of the spring being attached t a collar fast to the stud 20. as shown at 2 1. This spring is so wound that it has a tendency s.-'in;1' the l6 ioward the horn about the stud 20. Normally the frame 16 is locked in its retracted posi tion, shown in full lines Fig. 5. in which the friction wheel 19 is separated from the revolving table.

The locking means herein shown for this aurpose is a latch pin 24 carried by the foot of a bracket 26 that is suitably secured to cabinet 1, as shown at 27. The latch pin. is slidably mounted in ears 28 formed on the foot which has a pin 29 extending transversely therethrough and which forms a backing for a spring 30 encircling the latch pin and bearing againstone of the cars 28. This spring 30 tends to move the latch pin towa d the right Fig. 5 and into position to engage a projection or cam rib 44 on the side of the cam 15, the construction being: such that so lone as the latch pin does engage the said projection or rib id the frame 16 will he held in its full. line position with the friction wheel 19 separated from the revolving" table 2. This is the position of the parts during the playing of the record. At the end of the record the latch pin 24 is moved to the left to withdraw it from the projection 14 on the cam 15 and when this occurs the spring 21 swings the frame 16 toward the horn thereby bringing: the friction wheel 19 into engagement with the periphery of the revolving table 2 as shown in dotted lines Fig. 5.

This releasing of the pin 2st from the cam is accomplished by a stop device which may be set to become operative at the end of the record. The bracket 26 has a rock shaft journalled therein which has fast there on at its lower end a forked arm 41 that engages tie pin 29. This rock shaft 40 extends up through the plate 12' and. has adhe Al. 1

llil

justability secured to its upper end a stop arm 42 which extends over the record and in position to be engaged by the reproducer head 4 when the playing of the record is completed. The engagement of the reproducer head with the stop arm 42 will turn the shaft 40 thereby acting through the arm 41 to release the latch 24 from engagement with the projection on the cam 15.

As stated above the stop arm 42 is adjustably secured to the shaft 40. said arm being clamped in adjusted position by the clamping nut 43. thus providing for setting the stop arm to function properly at the end P of any record.

As stated above the cam 15 operates to raise the stylus from the record and to return the horn and reproducer head to their initial position. For this purpose the cam has the flat face 38 and the cam portion 39 adjacent thereto. When the record is being played the flat face 38 is underneath the head 14, as shown in Fig. 4, but as soon as the cam begins to rotate the cam portion 39 engages the under face of the head 14 there by raising the head, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 4. This raises the shaft 11 so as to clear the stylus 5 from the record. As the cam continues rotating the friction of the cam face 39 against the under side of the head i 14 will cause the shaft 11 and horn to turn thereby swinging the horn and reproducer head into their 1n1t1al position and when the reproducer head has returned to 1ts initial position the cam face 39 will pass'out from beneath the head 14 thus allowing the shaft 11 to move downwardly so that the stylus 5 will be again brought against the record but at the beginning thereof. At this time the frame 16 is automatically returned to the full line position 5 so as to render the repeater mechanism, inoperative. This latter'operation is provided for by means of a cam projection 44 on the face of the cam 15. The cam is shown as having four flat faces 38 and four cam portions 39 so that for each complete rotation of the cam 15 four repeating operations will be per formed. hen the cam 15 has turned sufficiently to complete the returning movement of the reproducer to its initial position then the cam portion 39 passes out from underneath the head 14 thus allowing the horn and reproducer head to move downwardly. At this time another fiat face 38 is brought underneath the head 14. Just as this occurs the tapered end 45 of the cam rib 44 engages the end of the latch pin 24 andacts on the latch pin to swing the frame into the position shown in Fig. 5, thus separating the friction wheel 19 from the revolving table. As soon as this separation occurs then, of course, the cam will come to rest because it has lost its source of power and the device will remain in this position until the end ,of the record,

again at which time the latch pin 24 will be tripped to set the repeating mechanism into operation. 1

indicates a stop device adapted to engage the reproducer head when it is restored to its normal position for the purpose of limiting the return movement.

In the operation of the device when the horn has been moved by the cam 15 into position to locate the reproducer head properly to start playing the record then further movement of the horn due to the operation of the cam 15 will be prevented by the reproducer head engaging the stop 5U. When the swinging movement of the horn is thus limited by the stop 50 the cam 15 will merely slide under the head 1.4 sufficiently to allow the reproducer head to move downwardly into contact with the disc.

In the Edison diamond disc machine such as herein described the stylus 5 is carried by a member 51 which is flexibly connected to the portion 52 carrying the diaphragm.

This flexible connection is usually in the form of a pin 54 extending from the part 51 and loosely retained in a loop 55 depending from the diaphragm-carrying head 52, the loop beingof sutficient size to allow a certain freedom of movement of the part 51 relative to the part 52. The purpose of this loose or flexible connection is to allow for any irregularity in the record and also any irregularities between the spiral groove in the record and the positive feed of the horn. It is desirable that during the playing of any record the pin 54 should be centrally located in the loop 55 rather than bearing against one side of the loop and in order to assist in. bringing about this condition when the horn is automatically lowered to carry the stylus against the record I have provided the stop 50 with an inclined finger 56 which is adapted to engage the edge of the part 52 as the horn is lowered and which moves the horn forwardly or toward the left in Fig. 1. hen the repeater mechanism is operated, therefore, and the horn is lowered automatically to start playing the record again the horn will be given a movement to the left due'to its engagement with the finger 56 as the stylus enters the groove and begins its feeding movement and before the positive feed for the horn commences to operate. The horn will thus be initially fed forward slightly during its lowering movement and while the stylus is being fed by the record so that feeding movement given to the carrier member 51 by the record will not carry said member ahead of the horn before the positive feed for the latter begins to operate. The horn, therefore, will be given an initial feeding movement as it is lowered and before the positive feed begins to operate so that when the horn is positively fed the stylus-carrying u'ienibcr will be in proper relative position to the horn to allow the flexible condition to operate correctly.

I claim.

1. In a talking machine, the combination with a revolving table. ot' means to rotate the same, a horiZontally-swinging horn, a reproducer carried thereby, a vertical shaft on which the horn is mounted. a device acting on the shaft to raise the latter and the horn thereby to clear the reproducer trom the record and to return said reproducer to position to begin playing the record and then to lower the shaft and horn to bring the reproducer back onto the record again. means for actuating said device including a triotion wheel adapted to trictionally engage and be driven by the revolving table, means normally holding the friction wheel out o1 driving engagement with the revolving table and means operative at the end. of the record to establish a driving connection between the wheel and the revolving table.

2. In a talking machine, the combination with a revolving table, of means to rot-ate the same, a swinging horn, a reproducer carried thereby, a cam tor raising the horn thereby to clear the reproducer from the record and to turn the reproducer to position to begin playing the record, means for rotating the cam including a friction wheel normally held out of driving engagement with the revolving table but adapted to trictionally engage and be driven by said table, means operative when the playing of the record is completed to bring the friction wheel into frictional engagement with the table, whereby the cam is rotated and the reproducer is raised from the record and returned to position to begin playing the record, and to withdraw the friction wheel from operative engagement with the table hen the reproducer has been thus returned and hold it so withdrawn until the playing of the record is completed.

3. In a talking machine, the combination with a revolving table, of means to rotate the same, a swinging horn, a. reproducer carried thereby, a cam for raising the horn thereby to clear the reproducer from the record and to return the reproducer to position to begin playing the record, means for rotating the cam including a friction wheel adapted to frictionally engage and be driven by the revolving table, means operative at the end of the record to establish a driving connection between the wheel and revolving table, and to dis-establish such driving connection after the reproducer has been restored to initial position, and hold the triction wheel out of driving engagement with naeaoie said table during the playing of the record and until the end of the record is reached. at. In a talking machine, the combination with a revolving table, of means to rotate the same, a swinging horn, a reproducer carried thereby, a cam for raising the horn thereby to clear the reproducer from the the record and to return the latter to position to begin playing the record, means for rotating the cam including a triction wheel a apted to trictionally engage and be driven by the revolving table, means operative at the end of the record to establish a driving connection between the wheel and revolving table, and means associated with the cam and co-operating with the last-named means to disestablish such driving connection when the reproducer has been restored to position to start playing the record and to hold the "friction wheel out of engagement with the table during the playing of the record.

5. In a talking machine, the combination with a revolving table to support a disc record, of means to rotate the table, a swinging horn having rigid therewith a diaphragm-carrying member, a stylus-carrying member situated underneath and flexibly connected to the diaphragmcarrying member, said horn being movable vertically to lift the stylus from the.

record and to bring it into engagement with the record again, and means acting on the horn to move the latter forwardly during its lowering movement and between the time the stylus strikes the record and the feeding mechanism for the horn becomes operative.

6. In a talking machine, the combination with arevolving table to support a disk record, of means to rotate the table, a hori zontallyewinging horn having rigid therewith a diaphragm-carrying member, a styluscarrying member situated underneath the diaphragm carrying member and flexibly connected thereto, said horn being bodily movable in a vertical direction to lift the stylus from the record and to bring it into engagement with the record. again, feeding mechanism for swinging the horn during the playing of the record, and a cam device against which the diaphragm-carrying member impinges as the horn is lowered at the beginning of the record, said cam device operating to move the horn and diaphragmcarrying member forwardly slightly after the stylus engages the record but before the feeding mechanism for the horn becomes operative.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN J. DEWEY. 

